BOYS BASKETBALL: Rancho Verde gets defensive in victory over North

RIVERSIDE — The Moreno Valley Rancho Verde boys basketball team is known for its ferocious defense and the ability to knock down clutch jumpers from the perimeter.

Both of those traits were on full display Wednesday evening as the Mustangs edged Riverside North, 55-52, to take sole possession of first place in the Inland Valley League.

North (14-3, 3-1 in league) used its size and strength to great advantage in the first half as Adrian Hughes (6-foot-8), Dorian Butler (6-6), Marcus Baugh (6-4) and Alex Daniels (6-3) dominated the low post for the Huskies, combining for 22 points in the opening half.

Rancho Verde (12-4, 4-0) made the necessary adjustments in the second half and held the aforementioned quartet to a combined 13 points and only four baskets in the paint.

“We played pretty good defense at all the right times,” Rancho Verde coach Yancy Dodson said. “They pounded us relentlessly in the first half, and we took that away at the end.”

Jalen Hall also earned kudos from his coach for his defensive play against Deshon Taylor, North’s leading scorer at 21.2 points per game. Taylor scored 12 points, nine of those at the free-throw line, and his lone field goal was a 3-pointer with 23 seconds left in the game.

“It’s was a fun matchup because we know each other well,” Hall said, referring to the fact Taylor started his prep career at Rancho Verde. “I just did my best to stay with him.”

Andrew Bournes drained three 3-pointers in first three minutes, helping Rancho Verde race to an 11-2 lead. North switched to a box-and-one defense, with Taylor guarding Bournes.

North chipped away at the lead and eventually surged ahead and led 28-23 at halftime. The Huskies were one second away from carrying a five-point lead into the final quarter, but Taylor fouled Bournes on a fall-away 3-pointer as that second ticked off the clock.

Bournes (17 points) made all three of those free throws to cut the deficit to 39-37.

With Bournes being swarmed, Rancho Verde needed another shooter to step up. Tre Nottingham answered the call and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers early in the period that help the Mustangs regain the lead.

“I missed my first two threes, but my teammates picked me up and kept encouraging me,” Nottingham said. “I’m just happy I was able to get some open looks and make those shots.”

North had a few chances to tie the score down the stretch, but the Huskies missed three shots from behind the 3-point line.